Thanks for taking a minute to read the newly redesigned “ArcNews,” a publication of e-Hazard/ArcWear.

Summer is a great time to get your arc flash assessment scheduled. Read more below about the importance of getting that taken care of for your company.

Also, make sure to read about the details of the latest edition of the Handbook of fire resistant textiles, with a chapter on arc flash by Hugh Hoagland of e-Hazard/ArcWear.

If you’ve always wanted to know more about the relationship between OSHA and NFPA 70E, check out the article below for an explanation.

We hope you have a happy and safe summer!

Burn Up The Myth: Q&A with e-Hazard/ArcWear

Q: I had your class about a month ago. A question popped up from the plant manager about a control panel that is controlling several things like conveyors and process equipment. Does the disconnecting means on the control panel have to be mechanically attached to the door so the door cannot be opened with the disconnect on?

Or can the door be bolted shut and the disconnecting means on the side of the panel? I looked all through NFPA 70E and couldn’t find any information.

JS, Dayton

A: Good question, JS. Thanks for asking. There is no requirement I know of pertaining to the relationship of disconnect and the panel door which the disconnect is associated with. The best practice is to have the disconnect interlocked with the door so that the door cannot be opened with the disconnect on. Usually, as you probably know, there is a defeat mechanism for maintenance personnel to defeat the interlock for troubleshooting purposes.On the other hand, depending on company policy, it is my opinion that it is permissible to have the disconnecting means on the side of a panel with the door bolted shut. If possible, at least one bolt should have some sort of lock on it with only maintenance personnel having possession of the key. Another option might be a lock hasp bent over a bolt with a keyed padlock. The point is to restrict casual access to the circuit parts or conductors inside the panel with the disconnect on.

Another possibility is that there are cable operators that attach to disconnect operating mechanisms. A person can connect the cable to the disconnect operating mechanism and to a door interlock. That way there is a door interlock connected to the disconnect. A panel vendor would be the best source for configuring a disconnect operating mechanism and a door interlock.

To stay up to date on the latest electrical safety news, go to the e-Hazard BLOG

Why an Arc Flash Assessment is Necessary for Your Facility

OSHA requires that employers identify and protect their workers from workplace hazards. Every industrial / commercial power system includes inherent risks — specifically electrical shock and arc flash — anytime employees are “interacting with” energized electrical equipment. Interacting with electrical equipment includes operation of fully enclosed switches and power circuit breakers as well as any exposure to energized equipment or circuit parts, including all energized testing or troubleshooting activities.

“Handbook of fire resistant textiles” feature a chapter on Arc Flash by Hugh Hoagland of ArcWear.com.

The handbook, published by Woodhead Publishing,“provides a comprehensive review of the considerable advances that have occurred in the field of fire resistant textiles in recent years.” (Source:www.woodheadpublishing.com)

The chapter written by Hoagland, entitled, “

Flame resistant textiles for electric arc flash hazards” contains information on the development of arc flash standards and testing, materials used in electric arc applications and future trends.

Hugh Hoagland:

It was a pleasure to work on this chapter in a book on Fire Resistant Textiles with so many of the world’s experts on flame resistant textiles. We hope our chapter can give companies guidance on development and testing of arc rated materials and increase the understanding of these materials in the workplace.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company has an opening for a Sr. Electric Safety Compliance Specialist. The individual in this position is primarily responsible for auditing (pass/fail) and assessing (graded) electrical hazard identification and mitigation efforts at regional and division levels.

For more information, please review the full job description and apply (the requisition # is 51184961)

One of the questions most commonly asked about electrical safety training pertains to whether it is legally required for employers to offer NFPA 70E® training. OSHA has many federal regulations about electrical safety in the workplace and failure to meet OSHA requirements can lead to citations, fines and penalties.